Isotope Analysis of Geothermal Waters

Abstract

Stable isotopes are one of the most useful tools for the study of geothermal waters. Especially the variation of the stable isotopes of Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O), the two components building up the water molecule, provide important information on the genesis of hydrothermal solutions. Understanding of the isotopic fractionation occurring along processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and others, stable isotopes tell us a long story on the history of hydrothermal waters especially, when applied together with other geochemical parameters. The aim of this lecture is to show the basic principles of isotope fractionation, the different isotope effects occurring in the water cycle, and the application of stable isotopes to the study of geothermal waters.